What Would You Like to See in a Tiny Buddha iPhone App?

Tiny Buddha

Note: This post contains a request for feedback. If you’re reading this in your inbox, click here to share your thoughts on the site.

It’s finally happening.

After much thought and discussion, I’m excited to move forward with a Tiny Buddha iPhone app!

I have a ton of my own ideas, but I’d like to ensure the app meets your wants and needs.

I’d very much appreciate if you’d take a moment to answer a couple of quick questions in the comments:

What is your favorite iPhone app, and why?
What would you like to see in a Tiny Buddha app?

Thank you in advance for helping us create the best possible Tiny Buddha app!

About Lori Deschene

Lori Deschene is the Founder of Tiny Buddha. She recently launched her Tiny Wisdom eBook Series which includes one free eBook. Follow Lori on Twitter @tinybuddha for inspiring posts and wisdom quotes and don't forget to read the submission guidelines if you'd like to submit a blog post.

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Did you enjoy this post? Please share the wisdom :)

Ian Gitlin

I’d really like it to be an Android app!
http://twitter.com/toddlohenry Todd Lohenry

Nothing. I wouldn’t use it. I read your site in Google Reader…
Sara

short inspirational passages, more than a quote, shorter than an article. Something to start the day off well with
From Catalonia

I do not have a smartphone. If I had one, I would probably read your posts in Goggle Reader as I do now. A daily quote seems too obvious?.
http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.w.almeter Elizabeth W. Almeter

I enjoy ‘Simply Being’ for its timed meditations.
ossura

Simple one to two sentence challenges to be mindful or phrases to keep in mind for the day, etc.
kc2905

Hey, i love tiny buddha and it would be great to have its iphone app. It would be great if we could access the all the articles and quotes on it. Also , if you could add a bookmarking feature where we can bookmark and add our own little notes for certain articles that we liked.
TB at BlueCollarWorkman.com

I have on my website your widget with the daily quotes, which is awesome (are you working on a smaller version of it?); I think I’d probably like that as an app too. Every day there’s just a little quote, just like the widget.
It could also have a little counter. Every time I do something kind for someone or myself, I could click it; and everytime I”m a douche to someone or myself, I could click a separate counter. The app could keep track of that daily and so we coudl see over time how much kindness we’re putting out versus douche-ness.
Christy

My favorite app is SkyView, because it let’s you learn about the stars and constellations you see in the sky. It’s really fabulous.

As far as a TinyBuddha app goes, I guess seeing short, daily quotes, affirmations, and challenges would be nice.
http://ponder-the-pre.posterous.com Kate Britt

My favorite apps are game apps, but I also value a few I have for the more spiritual moments: short quotes and/or random inspirational ‘advice’ snippets (GhandiQuote; BuddhaQuote), short guided meditations (Simply Being), or not-guided (Zen Chimes), and one that combines the game idea with the spiritual (Tarot). My new favorite this week is Fit Brains because it’s a game but increases my brain power (I hope ).

I like the suggestion by others of a random-quote app from your TinyBuddha databank, but it’s not a new idea — there are already quote apps. I wonder if it’s possible to create a spiritual/happiness-training type game, somewhat like the various brain-training games I play. Perhaps each day a quote accompanied by a tiny, easy-to-do project on which I’d report back to the app (eg. did a random act of kindness today; had a new experience today; did something meaningful today; sat with grateful thoughts for 5 minutes today; went out to play today). Perhaps it has a scoring scale that’s got some fun spiritual-advancement rewards – a “well done” type statement, progress graphs, earned symbols (like the coins I earn in another favorite app) — could be flowers or hearts or Tiny Buddhas, whatever. It could have built-in options for alert-reminders, meditation music in background while in the app, etc.

It would be great fun if it were also a social game, as in, I could invite a friend via FB or email (as in other favorites of mine: Scrabble, Draw Something), then we’d be able to see and compare each other’s activities, send each other kudos, join together in a same-project goal for bonus points/symbols, etc. I could grant rewards to my buddies from my own earned reward-bank to reward them for one of their reported activities.

Oops, sorry, kind of long. Got carried away. Can you tell I like the TinyBuddha app idea and want it already installed on my iPad?
Mm

To search the articles that exist onthe site
Neil Martin

Simplicity
Aesthetics
Article Archive
Quotes Archive
The “choose a category” feature present on the website

I would not suggest audio, video, message boards, comments, etc. In my opinion, they clutter and complicate the wisdom and simplicity we come to the site for.

Overall a TinyBuddha app is a fantastic idea. Good luck.
Em

I really enjoy Cheri Huber’s “Transfom Your Life” app because it gives a great quote and a corresponding action for you to take everyday. A Tiny Buddha app that was in someway relevant/thought provoking/calming/insightful/inspiring each day would be perfect! A timer that would alert you to “Tiny Buddha Time” would be great to integrate.
http://twitter.com/barryalan Barry Robertson

I would love a windows phone app. I would Love it to have al the posts and quotes etc
lv2terp

I don’t use an iphone, so would also love it on Android!! My favorite/go to app is an inspirational quote app. I love to read them, gain different perspectives, and share them on FB if they resonate with me. I would love to receive a mixture of quotes, tips, wisdom from your collection of posts, and your books! Oh, and to make it easy to share and add to a favorites tab. I’m so excited about you developing app…hope it becomes avail on Android too!
http://www.facebook.com/bpcardinali Barbara Cardinali MacFerrin

I think I’d be nice to be able to search for posts, categories, etc and maybe get a push notification of the post of the day. Bookmarking favorites would be nice as well and a way to share via text, email or share on FB, etc. I think if the app is compatible with iPhone and Android, it would be quite successful. I have an iPhone, but it seems most apps these days are capable of installing on both platforms. Thanks!
http://www.facebook.com/totalbogas Joana Bogas

Congratulations! I love all the positive quotes posted on this site. I think the app should have that too.
ennydots

I’d love categories that drill down to either posts or lists so that when I’m in a situation I can refer to the collective wisdom of this site. And maybe an option to turn on/off some daily reminders on a range of subjects (as per the list at the top of the webpage) just to keep Tiny Buddha. And an option to turn on/off a simple reminder to ‘breathe’!
Jen

I’d love a Tiny Tip of the Day! I have an app called Daily Affirmations, but I think the content is lacking and you could do a much better job. Just a suggestion of something to focus on for the day with a 1-3 sentence description would be perfect.

Also, being able to browse posts by category would be nice.
Anon

It would have to be really minimalistic, something like the Tumblr App on iOS.

What I would want to really see is a navigation bar accross the bottom with individual categories, “Home, Blog, Quotes, etc…”
http://twitter.com/Davidalan82 David Alan

yes agreed there is more than iPhone out there! I would love to see an android app as well please!
mary loves mason

Yes yes love you thank you
http://www.facebook.com/hillary.marrs.9 Hillary Bates

First of all, please include us happy android folks. Second – I would like it short and concise (we get so much info every day) but what I love most about TinyBuddha is the quotes. How about a daily quote app?
Jon

yes andrdoid app please! Smaller graphics more text with the ‘meat of the message’ quicker for those of us on time crunch so we can carry, kernels of wisdom, forward sooner, or until we can read the full story. Maybe bullet points?
Thanks so much
http://twitter.com/ommazingspace Melissa Terrels

Great idea and the search option is great too!
http://www.facebook.com/KaStoffel09 Kayla Marie Stoffel

I would love to see it also be an Android app! I’m sure that anything that could be put on it would be absolutely wonderful, just like the website.
jasonNewMexico

Yea, Android too, please….!
My 2 cents:
1) Simple reminder to practice mindfulness for 10 minutes. (And show me how many others have done so that day)..
2) Nudge me with short summaries of my favorite TinyBuddha articles, so that I will remember to practice/keep the ideas alive that week/month etc.
3) A “happy” list — displays what people are thankful/happy about that hour/day.
AG

I would love to see a space that allows me to upload photos of things that help center me — so like a photo of my favorite sunset, or my cat, or my family. I find that when I am stressed or worried (and traveling quite a lot), it helps me to run through my photos on my phone to help remind me of what is important. Also having a random quote/affirmation when it loads up.
Wendy

Any chance that there’ll also be an android app?
http://twitter.com/lori_deschene Lori Deschene

Thanks so much for the feedback everyone! This is all so helpful. I will look into creating an app for Android too. =)
http://www.facebook.com/tebby.burrows Tebby Burrows

I was just thinking as I was reading online how I can’t wait for a tinybuddha app!! This is so exciting thank you so much in advance for creating one I would love posts by themes that’s easy to maneuver. The ability to highlight/share a favorite section from a post
on social media. The option to save posts to read later (maybe a post archive for posts I’ve already read/want to save)

A section for discussion topics/
mini blog

Just a few thoughts!
Dave

As an app developer, I always suggest to people to create their app for iOS first to get their ideas out before tackling the task of catering to the thousands of random Android devices with even more random configurations.
http://twitter.com/SarahRyck Sarah Ryck

I love simple, visual apps. My favorite is instagram. I really love the quotes here but I can’t access them with the current mobile version of the site…Please make the quotes easily accessible. I think It’ll also be important to have lots of share options….I often post articles here to other sites…Twitter, instagram, Facebook.
Josh L

I would love to see an app
http://twitter.com/amwoodfield andrew woodfield

Also, it would be fantastic to have ease of access to the TB blog and archives, archives of quotes, but also a social aspect for conversing about like minded topics and sharing those conversations via popular social networking sites.
Swan

My biggest use of Tiny Buddha is coming to the site and searching when I suddenly recognize a downward movement in my consciousness. The search function is big, and finding the right article for what I need is important. Search terms, keywords, or hashtags that reflect the negative feelings we have — while at face value are counterintuitive — would help those in distress find just the articles they need to turn things around.
Eric

An android app please?!
Xio

When would it be available? Can’t wait!
http://twitter.com/lori_deschene Lori Deschene

Hi ZIo~

I’ve had a little setback actually. The people who were supposed to create the app aren’t able to follow through. I’m talking to someone else about it tomorrow, so hopefully we’ll make some traction soon!

Lori